Apple Cider Vinegar (acetic acid) - will it hurt brass if used in cleaning?

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1972

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I’d like some thoughts on a brass cleaning procedure I tried today.

I’ve got a LOT of brass to clean and get ready for loading. I’ve got 9mm. .45 ACP, .44 Mag, etc. I like working with really clean brass.

I read somewhere that an apple cider vinegar solution would clean brass without hurting it. So I bought a quart of apple cider vinegar which is labeled “5% acetic acid by volume”. I put the solution (right out of the container) into an ultrasonic cleaner I have. This unit has a heater so it heats the solution up quite hot, and of course there is the ultrasonic cleaning action as well.

I sized and de-primed 100 cases, and put them in the cleaner for 10 minute, then took them out, rinsed them well in water (several times), and dried them with a blow drier.

Then I ran them through one of my vibrating tumblers with crushed walnut shell using “PEEK” as an agent. I gave them a couple of hours in there and dumped them out.

They look new. I mean they look brand new. Inside and out, primer pockets, flash holes, everything. They look like absolutely brand new brass. I’ve never seen brass that clean.

So obviously I’m pleased with the results, BUT I’m in reviewing some threads on the internet I’m wondering if the hot apple cider vinegar can damage the brass. Some sources say if you only leave them in the solution for 10 minutes it will not hurt them at all. Other sources say this can lead to split cases and all sorts of problems.

Anybody got any thoughts on this? I’ve got thousands and thousands of rounds of brass to clean and I do NOT want to damage it. But man, does this ever clean them! Wow!
 
:needPics:

I would say any form of acid would harm the brass eventually, but since you are dealing with only an exposure of 10 minutes and are rinsing them extremely well afterward, I don't see a lot of harm being done.

Why not try reloading a small batch and see for yourself if any cracks develop, before you do it all?

Personally though, I'd rather just use water and dish soap, or water and Simple Green as a first step.
 
Acetic acid is what most liquid brass cartridge cleaners contain.

Birchwood Casey's Brass Cartridge Case Cleaner
COMPOSITION / INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
DESCRIPTION CAS NUMBER WEIGHT PERCENT EXPOSURE LIMITS

Phosphoric Acid – H3PO4 7664-38-2 <20 1 mg/m3
Hydroxyacetic Acid – C2H4O3 79-14-1 <7 3 ppmb
Dipropyleneglycol Monomethyl Ether 34590-94-8 <7 100 ppm a,d C7H16O3
Benzotriazole – C6H5N3 95-14-7 <1 N/Ec
Dodecylbenzenesulfonic Acid 27176-87-0 <24 N/Ec C18H30SO3
Water – H2O 7732-18-5 >41 N/Ec

http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm#Solutions
 
1972 said:
Anybody got any thoughts on this? I’ve got thousands and thousands of rounds of brass to clean and I do NOT want to damage it. But man, does this ever clean them! Wow!
Click to expand...
I used a 50% vinegar solution when playing with an ultrasonic. Vinegar is OK as long as you don't expose clean brass to air. I used to quickly dump it into a strong solution of washing soda, to neutralize vinegar ASAP. When rinsed in water without washing soda, the brass would eventually discolor - some cases more than others - and that's an indication of either copper or nickel leaching out, I can never remember which one, but either way its bad.
 
I use White Vinegar, but only for blackened brass. I use it straight - it's 5% Acetic Acid by volume - in no way a strong acid. 10 minutes soaking, or in an ultrasonic cleaner, and the black turns to a tawny colour which rubs off with 0000 Steel wool, or even a rough cloth. Rinse throughly in cold water, dry and you're ready to go.
 
after the vinegar you should should use water and a couple of tea spoons of baking soda,
and run that ultrasonic cleaner for 5 minutes to neutralize the vinegar.
 
MapleSugar said:
:needPics:

I would say any form of acid would harm the brass eventually, but since you are dealing with only an exposure of 10 minutes and are rinsing them extremely well afterward, I don't see a lot of harm being done.

Why not try reloading a small batch and see for yourself if any cracks develop, before you do it all?

Personally though, I'd rather just use water and dish soap, or water and Simple Green as a first step.
Click to expand...

I've had really good result skipping the first handful of steps and going directly to this one:

Then I ran them through one of my vibrating tumblers with crushed walnut shell
Click to expand...

Life's too short to do anything else with brass. Especially pistol brass.
 
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